I wish to SHARE this..Argentinian TC 2000

Repco von Brabham:
Have been reading the autosport forums -mainly F1 subjcts- for some time but never bothered to register and participate actively until I ran across your thread.
As an Argentine racing fan I want to congratulate you and thank you for all the work and time you take, helping to put our great TC2000 series before the eyes of the world!!! That a "developing" or "third world" country can host one of the most sophisticated and technologically advanced tin-top classes should make us proud. Add to that some wonderful tracks -Buenos Aires, Potrero de los Funes, San Juan, among others, albeit with their infrastructure limitations- and a fantastic fanbase. I doubt there are many countries in the world which take their racing so seriously and put on such great and widely attended shows, week in and week out.
Would it be to much to ask for you to include some pictures and information on the Renault single-seater "kindergarden" series which runs together with TC2000? I think it would help to paint a bigger picture of the racing weekend. And, after all, you too were a single seater racer in your time (I was sitting in the granstands then).

The funny thing is that for what I've heard Marcos Di Palma dislikes TC2000... and the way TRV6 (the only series he's contesting right now) treats him like a "star" driver just because of his popularity and charisma (when was the last time he won a race at all?)...mmmm... I dont like it...Now, sorry but I need to get a bit critical right now: I know, considerin that Argentina is not precisely a high-tech industries country, we could be proud of a series like TC2000 that makes a driver like Pecvhito López say taht he would only go to WTCC if the economical offer is really good because those cars are more standard than TC2000's. But, even when current president Pablo Peón did some great things in the past, I think the series is stuck right now. Due to the economical crisis, and as an emergency, they decided to introduce a spec engine, which fans like me dislike a lot, but we can understand that on the world crisis. But the thing is that, before that,tc2000 was alkready needing an important change on the engine rules and now there are no signs about returning to multi engines, and hopefully bigger and much more powerful, because 2 litre 300 bhp touring cars have no future (just take a look at WTCC). I think the series needs just that not so big jump to really become the best touring car series in the world: they have the manufacturers (a lot more than DTM or V8), the technical evolution, the drivers (if there's an advantage in not being a country that exports drivers like Brazil, is that the best ones race here. The disadvantage is not having representation in F1 or Indy). They only need to return to multi engines and with much more power (lets admit that thats a problem with the whole argentine motor racing: both TRV6 and TC are also behind 400 bhp)... and lets admit too that racing in Potrero de los Funes, for instance, with this cars is a bit of a shame: the drivers themselves say that the circuit is "too big" for tc2000 cars, so it becomes unchallenging because the lack of power of the cars.

The TC2000 championship shows off one of the strongest entry lists in modern touring car racing at it's season opening event this weekend.With a number of teams expanding the number of cars they enter, including champions Equipe Petrobras Honda Racing, who are running five cars.The full entry list for the season

López wins season opener at Punta del EsteJosé María López has won the first race of the season from Matías Rossi & Mariano Werner, as Ortelli crashes out at the start.

López started from pole in his Honda Civic alongside the Chevrolet Vectra of Guillermo Ortelli, but drove away to take a dominating victory.Ortelli got caught up in a battle trying to repass Equipe Petrobras' Nestor Girolami, and crashed whilst trying to pass. This left Ledesma as the only Chevrolet driver left in the race, who worked his way up to sixth on the street circuit event, where passing was extremely difficult.

Mariano Werner worked his way up to third, and was the top Toyota Corolla, finishing just ahead of team mate (and highest qualifying Toyota) Facundo Ardusso. Werner harried Renault's Matías Rossi for the final few laps but was unable to pass.

After a poor qualifying, former Toyota driver, now with Ford YPF, Norberto Fontana, struggled and came home as the last driver on the lead lap.

Would it be to much to ask for you to include some pictures and information on the Renault single-seater "kindergarden" series which runs together with TC2000? I think it would help to paint a bigger picture of the racing weekend. And, after all, you too were a single seater racer in your time (I was sitting in the granstands then).

The series you refer is Argentine F. Renault that uses chassis Tito 02. The support formula skipped Punta del Este but will be present at next TC2000 weekend at San Martín, Mendoza next April 11th.

After a troubled start in Uruguay, former champion Norberto Fontana repaid Ford YPF's confidence by winning pole in the qualifying race and converting it into a win.

Equipe Petrobras Honda Racing complete the podium with Leonel Pernía taking second ahead of Nestor Girolami. Fontana had a better start this time than in the sprint race, and maintained the lead, the most significant change at the start was Girolami managing to pass the Chevrolet Vectra of Guillermo Ortelli this time without incident.

On Lap 5, frought contact in the back of the field with Honda's Mariano Ultuna battling Renault's Matías Rossi, results in the Renault driver slamming into the back of the Honda Civic, earning Rossi a drive through penalty.

Facundo Ardusso's speed in qualifying didn't turn into a representative result, mainly due the series newcomers inexperience with touring car race craft. After battling with Ford YPF's Gabriel Ponce de Leon, the Toyota driver let through the other Ford of Martin Basso as well as the Cobra Peugeot of Luis José Di Palma, who was having a great run in only the team's second race.

Ardusso would eventually repass Di Palma & Basso before the end of the race.

The battle between Werner & López as seen in the sprint race resumed, but this time it only took 9 laps before the reigning champion managed to get past. López would proceed to get past Emiliano Spataro's Fiat & Christian Ledesma's Chevrolet unhindered, but ran out of time to close down Ortelli, and would finish in fifth.

Up front, the top four ran steady, with Girolami briefly threatening to pass his Honda Racing team mate for second, before falling back in the later stages.

Norberto Fontana went on to secure a significant victory for Ford, and showed Honda may not have it all their own way this season after all.

Reigning World Touring Car champion Gabriele Tarquini will race for Honda for the first time since 2001 at the Buenos Aires 200km TC2000 race in November.Tarquini will pair up with two-time TC2000 champion José María López in the No.1 Equipo Petrobras Honda Civic. "It will be a real pleasure to share the weekend of the 200km from Buenos Aires with Tarquini, the reigning world champion in the field of touring car racing and who has a great deal of experience." said López.

The Endurance format event will see two drivers share a car. In 2009, other international touring stars who took part included Alain Menu, who drove a Chevrolet Vectra, and BTCC stalwart Anthony Reid, who partnered López on that occasion.

Tarquini last drove for Honda in the 2001 European Super Touring Championship, after previously racing for the marque in the BTCC's super touring era as well the STW Cup. Since then he drove for Alfa Romeo in the ETCC/WTCC until 2006, when he joined SEAT.

Honda Racing's Nestor Girolami has won his first race of 2010 at Resistencia, finishing ahead of Chevrolet's Guillermo Ortelli and team mate Leonel Pernía.Pole sitter and sprint race winner Emiliano Spataro didn't have the pace in the second race, and finished fifth place overall.

Championship battlers López & Fontana had good showings, with López picking up the points for sixth, whilst Fontana, who started 22nd in his Ford-YPF Focus drove up from 22nd to finish 9th.

Mariano Altuna, who was taken out in the first corner in the sprint race, suffered again not completing a lap in the feature race, and is likely not to be the leading Honda in the standings when the final positions are confirmed.

Honda sweep the podium at 300 Km of Termas de Río HondoOver 28,000 people endured the cold for standing still in Río Hondo for a great race, the drivers ran a background as a common race., The great scientific strategy of HONDA earned them a 1-2-3 for his team, Five car ran out of gas on the last lap, the three Hondas from the podium and the 4th Silva (Renault) reached the target with the smell of fuel

Leonel Pernía has taken his first win of the season, leading a 1-2-3 for Equipo Petrobras Honda team, with team mates Altuna & López behind him.Pernía now moves into the lead of the TC2000 championship, and mates Altuna & López also move up into 2nd and 3rd, ahead of former series leader Norberto Fontana, who finished fifth in the race.

The manager of petrol was dressed as a flame retardant like in F1The Toyota works Team

The DTA Peugeot Team

Excellent tire change of Toyota Ardusso: only took 11 seconds

Fast and efficient refueling of team Honda, 28 liters in 9 seconds!!The drums are those of NASCAR

To note also were the strategies of the Ford team, who took only one car at the last minute of the park closed and both came in the top ten, as well as the actions of Fabian Yanantuoni, which took off 17 th and arrived in 10th place with the best Peugeot 307, achieving first place on the podium in the individual tournament, which echoed strangely team a 1-2-3 but with DTA Vittal and Matias Muñoz Franco Coscia Marchesi commanding orders of the French terminal.

Pernía now leads the championship with 77 points over Mariano Altuna, with 62.

Christian Ledesma took Chevrolet's first win of the year in the 3M Argentinean TC2000 Championship with a lights to flag victory, just pipping Martín Basso's Ford Focus to the line.Ledesma had claimed pole position after winning the qualifying race, and held his position at the start, whilst Ezquiel Bosio's Fiat was passed by the Ford-YPF car of Martín Basso.

Toyota's star driver Mariano Werner spun and ended up facing backwards, and was hit by the Honda Civic of José María López, both retiring from the race immediately.

Leonel Pernía worked his way up to third place, and extended his lead in the championship over team mate Mariano Altuna to 23 points.Peugeot enjoyed their best result of the season, with Luis José Di Palma finishing fourth in the 307, just ahead of the top Toyota Team Argentina driver, Facundo Ardusso.The next round of the championship is on September 12th in Santa Fe.

The fighting was fierce in all positions, fell the myth that you can not pass in La Rioja., Lionel Pernía start 22º and finished third., Great Deal of the "Tano" Pernía for the Championship, he have 89 points.

It is not Eau Rouge., It is not!Is the new La Rioja first corner, but travels in 6th gear and flat gas, like Eau Rouge in the 90's ..

Emiliano Spataro has won the Saturday Night Race at Santa Fe in his Fiat Linea, fighting off the Renault Megane of Matías Rossi.Taking the first win for Fiat of the year, after starting from pole, Spataro crossed the line less than a second ahead of the Renault, and as a result moves up to eighth place in the championship.

Norberto Fontana finished third in the Ford-YPF Focus, just ahead of the leading Equipo Petrobras Honda of Leonel Pernía. Fontana now moves back up to third in the championship ahead of José María López.

The two Elaion Chevrolet's continue to show a recent improvement in form, with Guillermo Ortelli & Christian Ledesma finishing 5th and 6th.The 3M Argentinean TC2000 Championship is running a two race weekend format at Santa Fe, with a traditional daytime race on Sunday.

Norberto Fontana won the day race at Sante Fe, and closes in on Leonel Pernía in the championship, as the latter fails to finish at the twisty street circuit.Fiat driver Emiliano Spataro, fresh from the win the night before, held the lead at the start, leading from Fontana, but unfortunately for him a repeat win was not forthcoming as he later clipped the wall in turn one, damaging the suspension on his Fiat Linea, gifting Norberto Fontana the lead and the victory.

Start of the Sunday morning race

Soon after Fontana took the lead, the safety car was called to recover the stricken TTA Corolla of Francisco Troncoso, and the other Scuderia Fiat Linea of Ignacio Char, who were both blocking the entrance into the first corner.

Chevrolet then looked to be in a strong position, with their drivers Ortelli and Ledesma second and fourth respectively, but a failed attempt to get past the third placed Honda of José María López by Ledesma, saw the Chevy Vectra knocked down the running order, and would later retire.

Lopéz wasn't done yet, and managed to take second place from Guillermo Ortelli, again with contact, which saw the second Elaion Chevrolet removed from the race, turning the race into a disaster for Chevrolet.

In the final stages of the race, championship leader Leonel Pernía also retired from the race, along with the two Ford-YPF Focuses of Gabriel Ponce de León and Martin Basso, which escalated the Renault Mégane of Juan Manual Silva to third place.

On the back of his win, and Pernía's DNF, Fontana now leaps back up to second place in the standings, 18.5 points behind, with the Honda of Mariano Altuna 2.5 points behind him.

Spataro wins, whilst Fontana closes on lead Second straight win, third straight pole, Who can stop the FIATs?

Emiliano Spataro led a lights to flag victory in the feature race at Neuquén for Scuderia Fiat, finishing ahead of TTA's Mariano Werner and Ford-YPF driver Norberto Fontana.Spataro had earned the pole winning heat one, whilst Werner started alongside after winning the second sprint race in the morning.

It was clear early on that Werner didn't have the pace to challenge the Fiat Linea, and Werner spent much of the race defending second from the Ford Focus of former team-mate Norberto Fontana, with the Equipo Petrobras Honda Civic of Nestor Girolami just behind.Fiat enjoyed a strong result, with three of their Lineas finishing in the top ten, whilst Peugeot Cobra Team also had cause to celebrate, with both cars in the top ten.It was a bad race for Chevrolet however, with both Vectras of Christian Ledesma & Guillermo Ortelli retiring.

I enjoy your updates as it gives me a chance to check up on a series that would otherwise never catch my attention. I love the look of the cars and the circuits are intriguing, not to mention the close racing. Thanks!

Mariano Werner and Esteban Guerreri have taken pole position for Toyota Team Argentina at the Buenos Aires 200km, with Toyota dominating the qualifying session with four cars in the top fiveIn a winless season so far for the Japanese owned marque, Toyota’s last race winner, Werner, sharing with World Series by Renault FR3.5 star Esteban Guerrieri, set a time of 1:36.939 to set pole and was over half a second faster than his nearest rival, the Fiat Linea of Emiliano Spataro and Ezequeil Baldinelli.

The other three Toyota Corollas occupied the remaining positions in the top five, to give TTA their strongest qualifying result of the season.

Sixth fastest was the Chevrolet Vectra of Christian Ledesma, shared with World Touring Car Championship leader Yvan Muller, who will be the top starting non-Argentine driver.

Second in the championship Norberto Fontana, sharing with Brazilian Stock Car points leader Ricardo Mauricio, qualified in seventh place in the Ford-YPF Focus.The Equipo Petrobras team struggled in qualifying, with none of their Honda Civics making the top ten.

Toyota Team Argentina have won their first race in over a year, with a debut victory for Bernardo Llaver and Mauro Giallombardo as well as a 1-2-3 podium sweep at the Buenos Aires 200km.Llaver and Giallombardo crossed the line 4.8 seconds ahead of team-mate Facundo Ardusso & Agustín Canapino, with pole sitters Mariano Werner & Esteban Guerrieri finishing third to secure a dream result for TTA, with the fourth car finishing in seventh place.

With only one race remaining, it is now a two way fight between 2002 champion Fontana and Pernía, who is looking for his first TC2000 title.

This means that two-time champion José María López will not be able to acheive a hat-trick of titles this year, with the Honda driver not finishing the race.

Of the international contingent, Yvan Muller, co-driving with Christian Ledesma, picked up fifth place for Chevrolet Elaion, with the team's second car in ninth driven by Guillermo Ortelli & Alain Menu.Gabriele Tarquini, Stefan Johannsson and Nicolas Minassian all retired from the race.

The dream of a factory team .., long career, and only in the second a reverse, the four Corollas and take over the situation!The winning duo Llaver-Giallombardo made the change drivers in eight seconds!

Is the first time in the history of the Baires 200, that Ford had no chance for victory.,

Is it confirmed? I heard the JP Racing boss saying they wouldn't run the Cruze in 2011 because they still have a lo of work to do with the Vectras in order to be competitive. Or is it a different team also supported by Chevrolet?

Is it confirmed? I heard the JP Racing boss saying they wouldn't run the Cruze in 2011 because they still have a lo of work to do with the Vectras in order to be competitive. Or is it a different team also supported by Chevrolet?

Martín Basso appeared in the last qualifying session to keep the pole position and leave the official Ford team's record in Potrero de los Funes.The Rafaela 2m31s02 recorded in his fastest lap and took over the "one" of the latest rankings of the season. Morning decamp from the pole with the Focus that lists the team s and Oreste Berta.Basso was left with 15 ° pole within the TC 2000 and the second in the path puntano. "This result is reassuring and allows us to close the year in the best way," he said, adding: "It closes the year and perhaps also a stage closes mine in the category."Matthew stood behind Rossi, who closed on a good lap final with the Renault Megane II. The grenadier was Del Viso to 16 hundredths of Basso, and relegated by 2 / 100 to Guillermo Ortelli, with the Chevrolet Vectra finished third.

Pechito Lopez had dominated Friday's practice but the breaking of an item in the left front suspension, left out of the fight before getting into the top ten (see separate article).

The local Fabrizio Pezzini

Emiliano Spataro by contrast, managed to stay in the group of the top ten, but he was about to get the pole suffered an oversight and crashed into the retaining wall. His Fiat Linea was very concerned and remains suspended its participation in the final last season (see separate article).Championship leader, Leonel Pernia, ranked ninth in the New Civic Petrobras team, while the other contender for the crown, Norberto Fontana, was 12 °. Fontana Morning leave behind his teammate, Gabriel Ponce de León and fight for the chance to be crowned, but bear Pernía advantage.Both drivers come with a chance to win the title. The racetrack Potrero de los Funes add attractiveness to the definition of the TC 2000 2010 championship. And tomorrow's technology category will have a new champion.

Juan Manuel Silva won the first race of the 2011 TC2000 season in style with a lights to flag victory for Ford-YPF in an eventful race at General Roca.Silva had started from pole position alongside Toyota Team Argentina’s Bernardo Llaver, with the two drivers having won the morning’s qualifying races. Silva made a brilliant start to have a good gap on Llaver by the first corner, who quickly closed the door on an equally fast starting Guillermo Ortelli in the Renault Lo Jack Fluence.

Ortelli chased Llaver hard for the first few laps whilst Silva started pulling out a lead, but the Renault driver went off on the fourth lap suffering with a gear selection problem with the new Fluence and had to pit for a quick repair, dropping him to the back of the field. Ortelli would eventually recover to 22nd.

The top fight in the field for much of the next part of the race was the battle to get past the now best placed Renault of Sportteam Competición’s Guido Falaschi, who was now in ninth and holding up strong contenders Leonel Pernía in the Honda and the two top Fiats of Gabriel Ponce De León and José María López.

On lap 10, Bernardo Llaver crashed out of second place in his Toyota Corolla, and although he managed to rejoin, had to retire a lap later just as the safety car was deployed to recover the Renault of Martín Serrano.

A few laps into the restart, Pernía was able to get past Falaschi for 8th place, and later dispatched Agustín Canapino’s Chevrolet for 7th. Although the 2010 championship runner up closed in on the Toyota of Mariano Werner in the closing stages, there was no time to try and pass and had to settle for 7th.

With eight laps to go, José María López appeared to lose pace in his Fiat Linea, dropping back from team-mate Ponce de Leon. The 2008-2009 champion would eventually finish in 17th place after looking set for at least 10th.

Despite a strong run, Guido Falaschi drove to a halt on lap 23, releasing Gabriel Ponce de León and Emilano Spataro’s Fiat which had been stuck behind him. Spataro was now fending of the Equipo Petrobras Civic of Nestor Girolami, who had started last after failing to finish in the morning’s qualifying race. The Equipo Petrobras driver had put on a great run to eventually finish in 11th place.

Juan Manuel Silva completed lap 30 (the race shortened by one lap due to time) to take victory in his first race with Ford-YPF, with Matías Munoz Marchesi taking a magnificent second on his debut in the works Peugeot Cobra Team. Ford’s Fabián Yannantuoni rounded out the podium completing a good day for Ford. This was despite Norberto Fontana’s retirement on the first lap after contact with Renault Lo Jack’s Mauro Giollambardo, an incident which saw both drivers as well as Fineschi Racing’s Javier Manta knocked out of the race.

Matías Rossi finished fourth on his debut for Toyota, fighting off the top Honda of Mariano Altuna for much of the race.

The second round of the championship will take place on April 10th at Santa Fe.

Honda Racing driver Mariano Altuna took victory in the first of two races this weekend at Santa Fe, passing Toyota Team Argentina's at the start and leading to the end.Werner had put the Corolla on pole, but failed to get away at the start, giving the Honda driver an easy run to the first corner.

Matías Rossi rescued the night for Toyota, having qualified in third, he chased Altuna to eventually finish in second place just half a second behind, with Emiliano Spatato the top placed driver for the Fiat team in third.

Chevrolet's Christian Ledesma put on the best show, the only driver to make progress in the race, driving from ninth on the grid to finish fourth just outside the podium positions. Ledesma was the only Chevrolet in the race, after a nasty crash in practice ruled out team-mate Agustín Canapino's contention.

Similarly, José María López's weekend was over by qualifying, with the 2008-2009 champion damaging his Fiat Linea beyond repair, and will take no further part this weekend.

Heading to the weekend's second race, Ford-YPF driver Juan-Manual Silva leads the championship with 38 points, with Mariano Altuna now second with 31, and Matías Rossi third on 30pts.